TV deal will showcase Banbury wrestlers

Banbury’s only wrestling company has announced an online TV deal with an American-based combat sports broadcaster which it hopes will put Banbury on the global wrestling map.

New Breed Wrestling Association (NBWA) will have its wrestling shows aired to the world via fite.tv from February next year, with the brilliantly named Cupids Chokehold event.

NBWA stars James Mason and Sancho Cortez NNL-160305-092531001

Chris Baxter, founder of NBWA, said: “I went to watch a show in Leicester and they’re on the same network. I know the promoter and asked if he wouldn’t mind if I sent them (fite.tv) an email to see if we could get on it as well.

“The instant reply was ‘yes, we’d love to have you on’.”

The deal will bring NBWA a modest cash injection which will be ploughed back into bigger and more spectacular shows as well as affording the club new training equipment.

The biggest benefit, however, will be the ability to grow their ever-increasing fan base, market themselves to a worldwide audience and put NBWA and Banbury well and truly on the wrestling map.

Kay Jutler of the NBWA NNL-161116-094856001

Mitch Lee, NBWA’s financial director, said: “It’s opening it up to the global market at the end of the day.

“It’s a niche market but it’s a niche market in countries around the world, it’s not limited. By appealing to that global market you’re always going to have those niches that are looking for that kind of entertainment.”

Fite.tv are an American based online combat sports streaming service that features boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts and kick boxing from across the globe and have broadcast almost 500 live events to date.

Mitch said: “We’re relying on them to some extent with their broadcasting expertise and fan base to then benefit us. Its a sort of hand in hand thing, it’s a good set up.”

Founded in February 2013 NBWA has steadily grown and now trains roughly 20 wrestlers at the EP Gym on the Riverside Business Park.

Their shows, too have become more elaborate hosted at bigger venues and there next show, Snapmare before Christmas, will take place at Wykham Hall at Banbury Academy on December 9. They featured reality TV star Adam Maxted from ITV’s Love Island at a show earlier in the year and see the added online exposure via fite.tv as a natural evolution.

Jodie Childs, NBWA’s director of logistics, said: “If a singer wants to get noticed but they don’t have the time or capacity to tour the country busking they put their video on Youtube.”

Chris added: “It wouldn’t surprise me if there are scouts from all over the world watching shows on fite.tv.

“It’s looking good.”

For more information on their upcoming Banbury shows visit the NBWA Facebook page.